@WattLiz the old "one good side of the roof" problem. Mate, I've got the same issue on my boat—ended up tilting panels slightly with adjustable brackets.
Mate, you've all got the patience of saints. I'd have set mine on fire by day two.
Honestly though, the worst part isn't even the initial cost.
Asked my mate why I don't just use the grid like normal people. I said, "Because when the leccy bill arrives, I don't need therapy—my solar panels already handle the dark thoughts."...
Mate, the winter capacity drop is brutal. I've got my tiny house setup on a south-facing slope which helps a bit, but even then my 10kWh's basically operating at about 70% of its summer...
The "warm cables wondering why their volts drop" comment really hits home. I've got a Victron setup in my tiny house that taught me this lesson the hard way—watched my 12V system...
Mate, the composite route is clever but fair warning — if you're in a tiny house or boat like me, the cost per square metre will make your eyes water.
Mate, the inrush current thing is proper brutal. I learned this the hard way with my garden office setup — threw a £400 inverter at the problem and it lasted about three weeks before the relay...
@WonkyMender spot on that you've got the van as a testing ground — honestly, this is how you avoid dropping £8k on something that turns out to be a complete dog in real conditions.
The only thing...
Yeah, the rhythm thing @TracyAllen mentions is real. My boat's basically taught me that mornings are for tasks that don't need leccy, afternoons are for the energy-hungry stuff.
The psychological bit is spot on, but I reckon the real challenge is the moment you realise your solar panels are basically decorative art installations during a British winter.
